While attending a traditional Independent School District (ISD), Chris Davila learned about how a friend’s brother attended Premier High School (PHS). After looking further into Premier High School and what it had to offer, Davila learned that he would be able to work at his own pace, receive individualized instruction, attend a tight-knit school with fewer students and have a chance to graduate ahead of schedule. He took the idea to his grandparents, Joe and Terri Davila, who agreed that making the change would be in Chris’s best interest.
In August 2017, Chris transferred to Premier High School – Granbury as a junior and realized that his struggle with being distracted would be more manageable in the smaller, more personal environment. “I can work at my own pace and ask as many questions as I need,” he says.
The structure of Premier High Schools is intended to give students flexibility while taking classes around personal schedules. In Chris’s case, he is passionate about gymnastics and by attending Premier he’s still able to stay focused on the sport he’s been involved in for the past 10 years.When he was younger, Chris’s grandparents noticed he loved to tumble around in the yard. They enrolled him in Starry Skye Training Center at seven years old. At 10 years old, he began competing and they quickly realized he was a natural athlete.
Since Chris started gymnastics, his grandfather estimates that he has won more than 350
Davila sticks his high bar landing
medals. Notable accomplishments include earning the title of 2012 and 2017 North Texas State Champion. In February, Chris competed in the Texas Tough Invitational with the North Texas Elite Gymnastics Team. Chris won first place in rings, floor and parallel bars. He also earned second place in high bar and all-around.
Scott Dickerson, who has coached Chris for the past five years says, “He works hard, has a good personality and is a very talented athlete.” Though he did add to his medal collection, Chris has made it clear that it’s not just about earning more medals at this point. It’s all about getting the scores he needs to qualify for state, regional, and potentially national competitions.
Chris works hard in the gym and the classroom. “He comes in daily, is quiet, respectful, does his work, then goes home and goes to practice,” says Marsha Grissom, campus director at PHS – Granbury. She is understanding about the importance of competing in meets and being at practice on time. Along with other PHS students, Chris is able to leave early as long as he is on-task and caught up on his work. When he was a student at the local ISD, he was frequently late for practice. Chris says that being a student at Premier has not only helped him focus on his school work and learn to work independently, but he also enjoys the schedule flexibility and being able to go off-campus for lunch.
Chris is unsure of what his future holds. Although competing at an elite or Olympic level isn’t out of the possibility, the decade of gymnastics training has been hard on his body. He says that he’s interested in music and would possibly pursue a career in the industry. Whatever Chris decides to do in the future, he is confident that Premier High School has helped prepare him for the real world and is looking forward to his senior year.
